1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of wound care products and, more particularly, to wound filler and dressing combinations that are used for the treatment of wounds to the skin, such as skin ulcers and burns, as well as methods for treating such wounds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current injury treatment modalities consist, at least in part, of a wound dressing. Wound dressings function to seal wounds to prevent infections and function to absorb moisture from the wound in order to protect others from wound exudate. Wound dressings generally consist of flat, layered material which allow the dressing to be secured to the body effectively. Wound fillers such as foams are often applied as part of a wound dressing in order to assure tight and complete coverage of a wound site, especially for wounds where a traditional dressing would not conform well to the shape of the wound. Fillers are useful, for example, when a wound penetrates deeply beneath the skin.
Gels are effective wound fillers because their fluidity allows them to effectively seal the wound. Gels have the added benefits of reducing the risk of damage to the wound during application of the dressing and providing some soothing pain relief to the patient.
One problem with current gel fillers is that they are difficult to remove from the wound. The wound site using a gel filler may have to be irrigated with saline solutions to remove the gel. The removal process can cause discomfort to the patient, damage to the wound, and interference with the healing process.
Alginate is used in wound dressings as a way of increasing the absorbency of such dressings. Examples of alginate treatment modalities include non-woven alginate fibers, freeze dried alginate wafers, and alginate hydrogel foams.
One drawback of these alginate dressings is that they do not effectively take the shape of the wound and therefore do not provide an optimal coverage of the wound. Furthermore, they are difficult to use. The alginate fibers and wafers are difficult to apply and to remove.
There remains a need for a wound care product which is easy to apply, effectively protects the wound by taking the shape of the wound, reduces pain associated with the wound by providing a "cooling" effect, and is easily removed from the wound without the need for irrigation or other potentially damaging procedures.